CAL RIPKEN FLORIDA STATE TOURNAMENT
Manager’s Tournament Information Package
2012
T- Ball South Invitational
June 21, 2012 – June 24, 2012
Sarasota Cal Ripken League
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota Cal Ripken League wishes to extend a warm welcome to all players and coaches
participating in the 2012 T-Ball South, Florida State Tournament. We are honored to be your
host for these games.
This information package will provide everything you need to know concerning check-in at the
tournament. If a question arises that is not covered in this information package, please do not
hesitate to contact the Tournament Director.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Position
Name
Phone
Email
Host President
Roy Chapman
941-955-5979 rac25456@aol.com
Tournament Director
Marc Davis
941-374-1973 kadavis41@comcast.net
State Tournament Director
Wayne Stutzman 941-780-2107 wayne1100@comcast.net
Host Web Site
www.sarasotacalripken.com
HOTEL INFORMATION
Please book your team into one of the following hotels:
Remind the hotel that you will be playing in the Cal Ripken Florida State T-Ball
Tournament.
1. Homewood Suites by Hilton, 3470 Fruitville Road, Sarasota 1-941-365-7300
www.homewoodsuites.hilton.com/Sarasota
2. Hyatt Place, 950 University Parkway, Sarasota 1-941-554-5800
www.hyattplacesarasotabradenton.com
3. Courtyard by Marriott, 850 University Pkwy, Sarasota, 1-941-355-3337
www.courtyardsarasota.com
4. Residence Inn by Marriott, 1040 University Pkwy, Sarasota 1-941-358-1468
www.residenceinnsarasota.com
ACTION PHOTO INFORMATION.
A photographer will be on the premises during the tournament.
PARK RULES…..COOLERS, FOOD, and PETS ETC.
We will not provide ice, cups or coolers in the dugouts. Teams must bring in their own dugout
cooler for coaches and players only. Please let your parents know that coolers, food, drinks and
PETS are NOT allowed in the park. We ask that so that you can support our concession stand in
order for us to run a quality tournament. We have a very well run concession stand and we
thank you in advance for your cooperation. No scooters, skateboards, bicycles, roller blades are
allowed.
PRE ORDER OF T SHIRTS
Information on early bird T-Shirt orders at discount prices will be available at a later date.
TOURNAMENT FEE
A tournament fee of $300 must be mailed to Sarasota County Youth Baseball, Inc., or SCYB, P.O.
Box 51873, Sarasota, FL 34232, prior to acceptance into the tournament. Checks should be
payable to SCYB.
ARRIVAL REQUIREMENTS
All players, managers, and coaches MUST arrive as a team and remain on-site during the
tournament. A team member who is not present at the first game will be removed from the
roster and will be ineligible to compete during the State Tournament. Any absences or
deviation from this must be prearranged, through a waiver from the State Commissioner. An
approval will be issued by the State Commissioner (a copy must be placed in the team
tournament book). This must be done prior to arrival.
At the pre-tournament meeting, the Tournament Director or assistant will collect and check all
credentials.
TOURNAMENT TEAM CREDENTIALS BOOK
All credentials must be in a loose-leaf binder notebook in the order of the Tournament Team
Credentials Checklist. The Credentials Checklist must be signed by the District Commissioner
for State Tournament Participation.
PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING
A meeting for managers, coaches, umpires and tournament officials has been scheduled for
8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 2801 12th Street, Sarasota, in the Boardroom
located above the concession stand. The State Tournament Director appointed by the State
Commissioner will review all playing rules for the tournament and answer any questions. At
least ONE member of each team’s coaching staff is REQUIRED to attend this meeting.
TOURNAMENT GAME LOCATION
Tournament games will be played at the Nick Lucas Baseball Complex, 2801 12th Street,
Sarasota, Florida.
GAME SCHEDULES
Up-to-date tournament schedule will be distributed at the pre-tournament meeting.
The Official Babe Ruth Tournament Bracket has been used to schedule games (and the order in
which they are played) however, weather or other conditions may necessitate a bracket being
changed up to the start of the tournament and during the tournament. Managers should verify
their first games scheduled while attending the pre-tournament meeting.
Be sure to follow your team’s schedule at all times. Managers, coaches and players must
attend all scheduled tournament events unless excused by the Tournament Director.
Changes to the game schedule due to inclement weather will be made as soon as possible.
Managers will be notified by tournament officials via the cell phone numbers provided at the
pre-tournament meeting when feasible. Please remember, it is the manager’s responsibility to
have the team ready to play when scheduled. If in doubt, go to the field and check with the
tournament director.
Game results will be posted at the field after each game
UMPIRES
Two umpires will be scheduled to officiate each game. During all games, the umpires are in
control of the playing field.
COIN TOSS AND INFIELD PRACTICE
In pool play, the home team has already been determined. In double-elimination play, the
home team will be decided by the flip of a coin by the tournament director or another
designated tournament official at the pre-tournament meeting.
PRE-GAME ANNOUNCEMENTS
Players will be announced 10 minutes prior to their first game. National Anthem will be played
prior to the first game of the day.
OFFICIAL PRE-GAME MEETING
The Tournament Director or another tournament official will discuss ground rules with the
managers and umpires at the pre-tournament meeting. Umpires will go over these rules at
home plate prior to the beginning of each game.
LINEUP SHEETS
Official Babe Ruth lineup sheets (4-part) must be completed with player jersey number, first
and last name and position (if starter) and with distribution to the official scorer, chief umpire,
opposing team manager. Changes in the lineup are to be made to the plate umpire first and
then all other parties if feasible. Please use numbers when reporting changes to the umpire.
PLAYING FIELD AND DUGOUTS
Only manager, coaches, players, tournament officials and tournament approved
batboys/batgirls are allowed in the dugout and in the fenced playing area. Under no
circumstances will anyone else be allowed inside the playing field during games except when
called for by the umpire when time is called. This includes parents, team scorekeepers, and
fans.
FIELD RULES
In addition to the batting team’s base coaches, the batter, on-deck batter, base runners and the
fielding team’s players on the field, the only team members that will be permitted outside of
the dugouts (in the designated area) are a warm-up pitcher, catcher and safety monitor.
Throwing or unnecessary abuse of any equipment or baseball property will not be permitted.
Smoking (including smokeless tobacco) is not allowed on the premises; eating and drinking are
not permitted on the playing field. Cell phone use on the playing field is prohibited.
Players must remain within the fenced area of the playing field during all games and are not
allowed to mingle in the stands or with the spectators.
A player ejected or removed for an infraction of the playing or field rules will remain in the
dugout until the game is completed, unless the umpire indicates otherwise. A player/coach
ejected from a game may be required to sit out additional time if deemed necessary by the
State Tournament Director.
The use of foul language by players is discouraged. The use of foul language within the playing
field is not allowed and will be dealt with accordingly by the umpires assigned to the game.
UNIFORMS
Uniforms must meet the requirements contained in Rule 1.11. In addition, no two players on
the same team will wear the same number. For consistency, players, managers and coaches
must be assigned the same uniform number throughout the tournament regardless of the
number of uniforms the team uses during travel. *The regular Cal Ripken or Babe Ruth baseball
shoulder emblem must be securely attached in accordance with the current Babe Ruth Rule
Book. If a team elects to wear an Official District Champion patch, it must be securely attached
to the right sleeve of the uniform. All players, managers and coaches are to be dressed in
accordance with Babe Ruth requirements.
No player, manager, coach will be allowed in the dugout unless properly dressed. Manager and
coach’s uniforms need to match each other; however they do not need to match the players.
As a team representing your league and your District, you are expected to maintain a neat
appearance at all times, on and off the field. When not involved in a tournament game, you
may dress informally and comfortably.
*Teams may wear the new Cal Ripken Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball logo ball caps in lieu of the
shoulder emblems. All players must be the same on a team. No mix and matching.
PROTEST COMMITTEE
All tournament games will be played in the presence of the Tournament Director and a Protest
Committee. Any protest must be resolved prior to continuing play. Decisions by the protest
committee are final without appeal. The Protest Committee will consist of at least three
members designated by the Tournament Director.
SCOREKEEPER
The official scoring record for each game will be maintained by the official scorekeeper
designated by tournament officials. This book will serve as the official record of the
tournament. Teams may designate their own scorekeeper but in doing so must understand
that their book will not be taken into account if issues arise. Team assigned scorekeepers may
not be in the dugout or on the playing field for any reason. They are to refrain from
interrupting the flow of a game for any reason. Team scorekeepers will report any
discrepancies to their manager. At no time are they to confront the official scorekeeper.
BAT PERSON
Teams may provide one bat person if they so desire. All bat persons must wear a helmet at all
times when out of the dugout and on the field of play. Managers are responsible for the
behavior and safety of their bat persons during the game. Uniforms are optional.
TEAM POST-GAME MEETING
Teams are to immediately depart the fields and dugouts upon the conclusion of games. This
includes removing all equipment and trash. No team is to conduct a post-game meeting with
their players within the fenced playing field area.
FAN BEHAVIOR
The team manager will be held responsible for the behavior of their fans. Fans are not to enter
the playing field at any time for any reason and are to display a positive attitude to all teams,
players, umpires and officials. Managers are to immediately handle problem fans if the need
arises. Managers are reminded that umpires have the authority to take action against a team
due to the actions of their fans. All noisemakers are prohibited, such as loud radios, vuvuzelas,
air horns, cow bells and drums.
PLAYER EXPECTATIONS
Our goal is to help all players perform at the peak of their abilities while enjoying the
competition, camaraderie and distinction that go along with playing in a State Tournament. At
the same time, you have an obligation to everyone involved to be on your best behavior at all
times. If you have a problem that can’t be resolved by your manager or coaches, please contact
tournament officials.
Be smart and avoid trouble. There is always a certain level of tension in competitive sports.
We do not want you to lose your competitive edge. The desire to perform at your very best
makes the game exciting for everyone. Stay under control, even if another player or fan says
something that you find offensive. Keep your cool and do not respond to provocation in any
way that could lead to your disqualification. Remember, baseball games are won with hits and
runs, not with words.
The State Tournament Director has the authority to remove any player, manager or coach from
a tournament game for actions detrimental to Babe Ruth Baseball. Any misbehavior or
misconduct on or off the field could disqualify a player, manager, coach or team from the
tournament.
HAVE A GREAT TOURNAMENT!